The vast majority of surgical procedures require suturing or otherwise coupling first and second tissue sections. This coupling process can be difficult to accurately perform and/or time consuming, particularly if a laparoscopic or other minimally invasive approach is used. Given this need, the prior art teaches a wide variety of fasteners. Although some of these fasteners have been specifically designed for medical applications, a number of fasteners were developed for non-medical applications and modified for biological uses.
One such fastener that can be used for different applications is the so-called hook and loop type fastener. Hook and loop fasteners have found use in a wide variety of fields, including surgical procedures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,617 to Meislin discloses surgical repair with a hook and loop type fastener. The '617 patent teaches first and second sheets that are fixed to tissue with fibrin glue, either alone or in association with sutures and/or staples. Although this type of fixation is suitable for initial and short term stability, the use of sheets in combination with glue makes no provision for long term biologic fixation, i.e. integration of the sheets with the tissue. Furthermore, the requirement of two glued sheets for all applications also limits the utility to some surgical procedures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,113 to Wilk discloses a method for use of a strip of a biocompatible material in performing an anastomosis. The method disclosed includes juxtapositioning free ends of two sections of a resected tubular organ so as to form a continuous lumen through the sections, placing a strip of biocompatible material over the sections at the seam and bonding the strip to the outer surfaces of the sections so as to form a seal about the sections at the seam. An inflatable balloon is used to maintain the sections in position and can be absorbed by the body or excreted. The sections may also be stapled or sutured along the seam prior to the sealing of the strip over the seam, or the seam could be laser welded or sealed with a biocompatible adhesive. However, the use of a balloon, laser welding, or other seals may be prohibited by the size, location, or part of the body that may need to be sealed.
Thus, the need exists for an improved tissue fastening system. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the apparatus and process particularly pointed out in the written description and claims, as well as the appended drawings. 